DATE=7/14/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-40922
TITLE=INDIAN BOMB VIDEO
BYLINE=DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
*INTRO: IN INDIA, A MUSIC VIDEO PRAISING THE COUNTRY'S NUCLEAR
TESTS HAS BEEN RELEASED WITH THE SUPPORT OF A MEMBER OF THE
RULING HINDU NATIONALIST BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY. V-O-A NEW DELHI
CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN HAS MORE ON THE STORY.
TEXT:
/// DRUM BEATS AND SINGING, FADED UNDER ///
THE VIDEO, CALLED "WE ARE INDIAN," STARTS WITH FIVE DRUM BEATS
REPRESENTING THE FIVE NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS SET OFF IN MAY. THEN A
SOLDIER WEARING SUNGLASSES APPEARS AND BEGINS SINGING. THE
LYRICS SAY: "WE ARE NOT AFRAID OF ANYONE. WE ARE PROUD TO BE
INDIAN." THEY SAY, "WE SEEK FRIENDSHIP, BUT A KNIFE WAS STUCK IN
OUR HEART, AND TO PROTECT OURSELVES WE HAVE EXPERIMENTED WITH NEW
POWER" -- MEANING NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
AS THE SOLDIER SINGS, WE SEE PICTURES OF INDIAN LIFE --
WATERFALLS, THE TAJ MAHAL, AND PEOPLE RIDING BUSES TO WORK.
YUSUF MERCHANT, WHO PRODUCED THE VIDEO AND PLAYS THE SOLDIER,
SAYS HE IS TRYING TO SEND A MESSAGE OF STRENGTH.
/// MERCHANT ACT ///
IT BASICALLY SAYS, DON'T THREATEN US, WE AREN'T SCARED
OF YOU. AND I THINK, BEING THE PRODUCER OF THE VIDEO
AND ALBUM, WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT WE ARE TRYING
TO TELL OUR NEIGHBORS IN PAKISTAN AND CHINA NOT TO
THREATEN US. I SEE THIS AS A BOMB FOR PEACE. THE MUSIC
VIDEO IS PROJECTING IT AS A BOMB FOR PEACE. WHICH MEANS
BECAUSE WE HAVE THE BOMB NOW THESE COUNTRIES THAT HAVE
ATTACKED US IN THE PAST WON'T DO SO ANY MORE.
/// END ACT ///
PAKISTAN AND CHINA HAVE FOUGHT WARS WITH INDIA IN THE PAST. THE
DELHI GOVERNMENT SAYS SECURITY THREATS FROM THESE NATIONS
PROMPTED INDIA TO GO AHEAD WITH ITS NUCLEAR TESTS. HOWEVER,
POLITICAL ANALYSTS SAY THE B-J-P WAS IN A WEAK POSITION, WITH A
MINORITY GOVERNMENT, AND IT SET OFF THE BLASTS TO WIN PUBLIC
SUPPORT.
MR. MERCHANT SAYS THIS IS NOT A PRO-WAR SONG. HE SAYS HE IS
ANTI-WAR, AND IS SUPPORTING THE ATOMIC BOMB BECAUSE IT WILL
PREVENT CONFLICT. ALTHOUGH MR. MERCHANT SAYS HE DOES NOT
BELONG TO ANY POLITICAL PARTY, HE MADE THE MUSIC VIDEO AT THE
SUGGESTION OF ABHIRAM SINGH, A B-J-P POLITICIAN IN MAHARASHTRA
STATE. MR. SINGH HELPED FUND THE PROJECT, ALONG WITH A NUMBER OF
MR. MERCHANT'S FRIENDS.
MR. SINGH SAYS THERE HAVE BEEN MANY NEWSPAPER ARTICLES EXPLAINING
THE REASONS FOR THE NUCLEAR TESTS, BUT THE BEST WAY TO REACH THE
MASSES IS THROUGH ENTERTAINMENT.
/// SINGH ACT ///
THROUGH MUSICAL MEDIA, THROUGH ELECTRONIC MEDIA, WE WILL
GIVE A MESSAGE TO OUR PEOPLE (THAT) OUR BOMB IS ONLY FOR
PEACE. IT'S A PRO-INDIAN SONG.
/// END ACT ///
MR. SINGH SAYS FOLLOWING THE NUCLEAR TESTS INDIA HAS TRULY
EMERGED AS A TIGER -- THE NATIONAL ANIMAL.
THE MUSIC HAS BEEN INITIALLY WELL-RECEIVED BY THE INDIAN PUBLIC.
PRIYANKA SINHA, A 25-YEAR-OLD STUDENT, SAYS IT IS NO SURPRISE
THAT IN A NATION WITH A BIG APPETITE FOR ENTERTAINMENT, THE
ATOMIC BOMB WOULD BECOME THE SUBJECT OF A MUSIC VIDEO.
/// SINHA ACT ///
YOU KNOW, WE'VE COME OUT WITH MUSIC FOR ALL KINDS OF
STUFF, SO I FIGURED SOMETHING WOULD COME OUT IN INDIA
ABOUT THE BOMB. BOTH VOICES, WHETHER IT'S FOR OR
AGAINST. I EXPECTED SOMETHING.
/// END ACT ///
(MUSIC UNDER VOICE) OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ALSO SAY IT IS
NO SURPRISE THAT THE NUCLEAR TESTS ARE BEING CELEBRATED IN SONG.
THEY SAY MOST INDIANS STILL HAVE A FEELING OF NATIONAL PRIDE
ABOUT THE TESTS -- EVEN THOUGH THE COUNTRY WAS HIT WITH
INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION AND ECONOMIC SANCTIONS FOLLOWING THE
NUCLEAR BLASTS. (SIGNED)
NEB/DAB/WTW
14-Jul-98 5:14 AM EDT (0914 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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